See the before and after of a Wichita restaurant transformation

A steak (and a bathroom) that has to be seen to be believed

Denise Neil travels to Winfield to check out Shindigs Bar & Grill. The restaurant opened last April and is full of unique touches and giant meals. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle)
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Denise Neil travels to Winfield to check out Shindigs Bar & Grill. The restaurant opened last April and is full of unique touches and giant meals. (Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle)
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Before, it was bright but tight, and it felt more like a fast-food restaurant than a sit-down place.

After, it’s big and warm, with a fireplace, stonework, new tables and chairs and a whole new upscale vibe.

Los Compadres Mexican Grill, the restaurant that had operated at the corner of Central and Zoo Boulevard since June 2015, has completed its move to a new-and-improved location. It’s now at 3827 W. 13th St., in a strip center at the corner of 13th and West that also holds Knolla’s Pizza and Bann Thai. Los Compadres is now in the large space that once held Maggie’s Scotch and Soda.

Owners Carlos Renteria and Jaime Martinez closed the restaurant down on a Wednesday last month and had the move completed and the restaurant reopened by that Saturday.

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The two said they made the move so they could seat more customers and provide them with a cozier environment. Their former space, which housed a revolving door of restaurants over the past several years, could seat a maximum of 45. The new spot accommodates about 120.

The restaurant, which specializes in blue corn tortillas and authentic Mexican dishes, will be able to add a full bar with specialty margaritas in about a month, Renteria said. (For now, it serves just beer.) The owners also expanded the hours once they moved, and starting next week, they’ll be open on Mondays. The new hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.